Happy Friday! This week was very emotionally trying and I'm frankly glad it's almost over. I do however have a lot of trips coming up that I'm really excited about! This summer is jam-packed with activities and travel to keep me busy. How are you kicking off you summer?

Travel Topics: I have been planning my trip to LA that's coming up in just a few days! I'm in need of a vacation and we have a packed itinerary. One place I'm really looking forward to going is Catalina Island, any food recommendations or places we should visit?

Working Out: I'm in such a good groove working out and I feel so good. It's amazing what a run will do for your soul and all the cobwebs in your head. I'm attempting to get "bikini body ready" and for me, that means I just want to get to a place where I feel comfortable in a swimsuit. I've been switching off running and BBG and sometimes I'll do both. I switch from longer distance runs to interval training or just complete BBG in the morning. It took me awhile to find something that worked for me and my schedule...if you are in this place don't give up! You will eventually fall into a routine that works best for your lifestyle!

Weekly Goal For Next Week: Drink More Water! I received a Yeti as a gift and I love it. Now I just need to get in the habit of drinking at least 3-4 yeti-full's of water a day, at least.

Instagram Accounts I Can't Get Enough Of: I love watching Insta-Stories. I may spend too much time on Instagram but some of these stories are just so entertaining. A few accounts that I have routinely gone back too:

@Kathleen_Barnes: I've become invested in her SF home search and she is hilarious - always gives me a good laugh.

@rachmartino: I love her style and how true to herself she is! Plus, she travels frequently and I love seeing all the fun places she's headed.

@alyson_haley: One of my favorite affordable style and travel bloggers. She is in Portugal right now so it's fun to see where I will be at later this summer!

I finally have a vacation coming up, a gal's trip to California! To say I'm excited is a complete understatement. I can't wait to go to the beach, walk in the ocean, drink coffee at the cute little beach cafe, and take in all the sites. If you've followed me for long then you know I love traveling. It was actually this time last year that I was headed to Europe for the first time...still cannot wait to go back later this year!

Since I've been working so much lately, I have yet to indulge in a shopping spree to stock up on great summer clothing pieces. When pulling out my warm weather clothes a few weeks back I realized I don't have a whole lot, maybe it's because we have winter for six months out of the year here in Iowa?! I've done a lot of online window shopping and there are so many cute pieces that I had to share!

4 // Scoopback One-Piece Swimsuit: With my vacation in a couple of weeks I've been trying to find cute, reasonably priced, and colorful swimsuits. I love this neon petal scoop back from J.Crew Factory. It's playful and flattering and pink is my power color!

5 // Ripped Shorts: I have been having the hardest time finding shorts this summer. I want them to fit nicely around my waist but not fit tight around my thighs...a boyfriend short I suppose. However, most that I find are over $100 and that's just too expensive but I found this pair from Zara and I think they're perfect!

6 // South Beach Straw Boater Hat: I love straw hats and this one will match almost everything! I have so much blush pink or I'm also accenting with that color so this makes a great addition. Plus, it's only $16.

7 // Unitravel Vintage Suitecase: I have been wanting a luggage set from Steamline Luggage for years. I simply cannot justify spending that amount on a suitcase, at least, not right now. This piece is just as cute but a fraction of the cost...while I haven't bought it, I'm wondering how well it will hold up!?

8 // M.Gemi Pastoso: I've said it before and I'll say it again...I will always invest in shoes. Your feet keep you moving and therefore should be treated right! You simply cannot be the quality of an Italian leather shoe...trust me on this. This is a super fun color for summer and I can definitely see myself walking around Portugal in them!

I opened my vanity the other day and realized I have five, yes five, facial cleansers on my current rotation. I used to be the kind of person that only stuck to one facial cleanser but then I realized there is not a "one size fits all" cleanser that targets everything I need. My skin is ever changing - one day it might be dehydrated, two days later I might be battling an acne flare up and a week later it might be dull and grimy. Thus, I started buying different cleansers to target the specific concerns I had each day. With all of the skin concerns I've had over the years one can say I've become a skincare guru or enthusiast, I've fallen in love with finding products that help my skin. After my traumatizing blemish breakout in college I've made it a priority to take care of my skin, the proper way, and determine what it needs by how it looks and the state that it's in (i.e., redness, flakiness, acne, wrinkles, etc.)!

Whether my skin needs to be revitalized or purged of dirt and acne causing debris, there is a cleanser for each! I typically use a different one in the morning and evening and most days I use my favorite everyday cleanser that works for all skin types in the morning and use a targeted cleanser in the evening once I've removed my makeup! I've determined my skin needs a variety of different cleansers, including the following:

Purifying

Exfoliating

Revitalizing

Blemish Control

Refreshing

On my current rotation, these are the cleansers I'm using to target the issues listed above:

1. Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish for purifying*

This cleanser, paired with the muslin cloth lifts dirt, grime, makeup and mascara to cleanse and polish your skin. It contains natural ingredients such as cocoa butter, to help soften & moisture, while rosemary, chamomile, and eucalyptus tone & purify. I use this when my skin is looking dull and clogged. I always see a difference when I use this product, it's great for all skin types so I recommend to everyone!

2. Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser for exfoliating*

This cleanser contains Glycolic Acid that's designed to dissolve dead skin cells to reveal a refreshed complexion. It's a foaming formula that deeply cleans and removes makeup, dirt, and oil. I use this the recommended three times a week for my exfoliator and as a supplement to my favorite daily cleanser. This product is great for all skin types so I recommend to everyone!

3. Mario Badescu Botanical Facial Gel for revitalizing*

This cleanser is specifcally for combination and oily skin. The botanical extracts gently remove oil, makeup, and impurities that clog your pores. It has grapefruit extract and Alpha Hydroxy Acid that promote exfoliation and revitalize your skin. It's recommended to use this daily, I have been using this almost every morning this summer since my skin becomes very oily in the summer!

4. Clarisonic Pore & Blemish Gel Cleanser for blemish control

This cleanser is great for acne breakouts. The 2% Salicylic Acid is the active ingredient in fighting pesky blemishes and breakouts. I use this whenever I have bought of hormonal acne, breakouts caused by excessive oiliness, and just to treat any blemish that may pop up. I like this cleanser because it's not too drying, I always follow with a facial spray, acne spot treatment, and moisturizer!

5. Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel for refreshing*

This cleanser is my typical "everyday" cleanser. It washes away makeup, dirt, and debris leaving skin clean and refreshed. This cleanser works for all skin types and is very gentle so even the most sensitive skin types can use it! I typically pair my everyday cleanser with my Clarisonic for a deeper cleanse.

* Cruelty Free! I have significantly tried to switch most of my skincare, beauty care and makeup to cruelty free products. I find it important to take those actionable steps in my beauty routines and you should too!

It's no secret that wedding planning is stressful. I talk to brides everyday that are incredibly overwhelmed and feel like they have a huge mountain of tasks and they just don't know where to begin. I shared this post a few weeks ago on where to begin when you're planning your event and I figured sharing helpful resources next would be beneficial. There are so many resources online that can help you plan your wedding - while I truly don't believe there is one place that does it all for you, I think combining these resources will be your ticket to a successful event!

1. AllSeated - Where I create all of my wedding layouts, AllSeated is a great resource for brides who want to do it themselves. I put this resource first because it's one of my favorite resources to use. Very user friendly (make sure you have Chrome!), AllSeated helps you create the layout for the particular venue you are getting married in! They have a large variety of tables, chairs, add-on's, etc., so you can mimic and re-create the space just to your liking. I use this primarily for layouts - from the ceremony, cocktail hour to reception you can do it all yourself!

2. Zola - Changing the wedding registry process one click at a time, Zola does a great job at taking away the stress of registering for your wedding by having everything you could want under one website. Not only that, they have a wonderful wedding planning section including wedding website, checklists, guest lists and timelines. While no wedding is the same, there is a general structure that they all follow and this timeline is a great resource to print and take with you wherever you go.

3. Excel or Google Sheets - Sounds funny but next to Wedding Wire, a lot of brides use Excel or Google Sheets. It's easy to organize and you can customize however you'd like. Google Sheets even has a wedding planning template that you can use if you're not sure where to start. Everything from guest counts, budgets, to-do lists and your day-of timeline can all be neatly organized!

4. Wedding Wire - Probably one of the most used by brides I meet. I love their cost guide, it gives an average of how much couples spend on all of their vendors. They have a great seating chart tool and budget tracker to help you keep track of your finances. They also have fun tools like a hashtag generator and color generator. In terms of website use, this is a great place to cover your basics.

5. Loverly - More of a guide, this website delivers to-do's and planning necessities to your inbox. They send you helpful tips, tricks, trends and help ease your stress throughout the planning process. They, like most others, offer great inspiration too!

6. The Knot - I love the Knot for finding vendors. I think they've done a great job at helping brides find all the vendors and it's all in one place. Plus, you can read reviews to see what other brides have said. The Knot is also helpful in that they don't filter or get rid of negative reviews. What you read is what is posted!

Comment below on what you used when planning your wedding! What did you love and what did you hate?

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved trying on my mom's shoes. As a working mom, she always had the most stylish shoe collection and her love for shoes was naturally instilled in me. It's no secret I have a shoe problem - whether it be tennis shoes, flats, wedges, high heels or sandals, I will always invest in a great pair of shoes. Ever since I graduated from college and starting working full-time I noticed I was going through pairs of shoes like packs of bubblegum. I'm hard on my shoes...even more so on my feet so it became very important to me early on that I needed to invest in quality shoes. While some can't fathom spending over $100 on a pair, I look at it as an investment. Brands like Nine West are my go-to for work shoes and I typically don't spend more that $40 on a pair. However, my everyday shoes and shoes that I want to last, I will spend a couple hundred dollars on. I look at it as an investment...for your feet! Since I'm on mine all day, why not treat them well - and have them look cute too? 😉

A few of my favorite brands are M.Gemi, Repetto, Cole Haan and Soludos to name a few. While my shoe lasts might be expensive, that doesn't mean I always pay the expensive price. Nordstrom Rack, Zappos and holiday sales are the best and typically when I make an investment (aka., shoe purchase😂). Below I have rounded up some of my favorites for summer - all from my favorite brands!

Pinterest

FIne Print

Tay Meets World is a part of several affiliate advertising programs. This means that if you click and/or make a purchase through certain links or ads on my site, I may make a commission from that click and/or purchase. All opinions are my own! All pictures on my site are mine unless otherwise stated. If you wish to use a picture please place a link to where you got it!

TMW allows third party companies to serve ads and/or collect certain anonymous information when you visit this blog.